Glasgow Museum of Transport
The Glasgow Museum of Transport in Glasgow, Scotland was established in 1964 and initially located at a former tram depot in Pollokshields. From 1987 the museum was relocated to the city's Kelvin Hall. It closed on 18 April 2010 in preparation for relocation to the Riverside Museum building at Glasgow Harbour in 2011.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8521154.stm History The museum is situated inside the Kelvin Hall opposite the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in the West End of Glasgow City. The Kelvin Hall was built in 1927, originally as an exhibition centre, but was converted in 1987 to house the Museum of Transport and the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena. The Museum of Transport was first established in 1964. Created in the wake of the closure of Glasgow's tramway system in 1962, it was initially located at the former Coplawhill tram depot on Albert Drive in Pollokshields, before moving to the Kelvin Hall. The old building was subsequently converted into the Tramway arts centre. The current Kelvin Hall site itself closed in April 2010, with the Museum moving to its third home at the new Riverside Museum in 2011. Current Museum of Transport The Museum of Transport in the Kelvin Hall is one of the most popular museums of transport in the United Kingdom, attracting half a million visitors a year. Founded in 1964, it moved into the renovated Kelvin Hall in 1987 and houses many exhibits of national and international importance. Road vehicles The museum houses the oldest surviving pedal cycle and the world's leading collection of Scottish-built cars, including such makes as Argyll, Arrol-Johnston and Albion. More modern Scottish-built cars, namely the Rootes Group's Hillman Imp, Chrysler Avenger and Chrysler Sunbeam were represented too along with many other motorcars in a large showroom-type display sponsored by Arnold Clark. All forms of transport are featured, from horse-drawn vehicles to fire engines, from motorcycles to caravans, and steam engines to steam rollers even toy cars and prams. Ship models In the Clyde Room are some 250 ship models, representing the contribution of the River Clyde and its shipbuilders and engineers to maritime trade, including the Comet of 1812, the Hood, the Howe, the Queen Mary, and the Queen Elizabeth and the QE2. Railway and tramway exhibits Locomotive manufacture was also an important Glasgow industry and the museum celebrates the city's railway heritage, including locomotives such as: * Caledonian Railway Caley No. 123 single driver * Highland Railway No. 103, the Jones Goods * Great North of Scotland Railway Gordon Highlander No. 49 * Glasgow and South Western Railway - 5 Class 0-6-0T no. 9 * Andrew Barclay 0-6-0 Fireless locomotive, South of Scotland Electricity Board, No. 1 * First ScotRail - Class 380 EMU (full scale model) at the Transport Museum]] Well-known exhibits include the famous Glasgow trams, the 'Subway' (underground railway) station and the reconstruction "Kelvin Street", which aims to recapture the atmosphere of 1930's Glasgow. New Museum of Transport The museum at Kelvin Hall closed on 18 April 2010, with most its collections moved to the new purpose-built Riverside Museum in Glasgow Harbour on the Clyde, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and engineers Buro Happold.Museum of Transport Glasgow, Glasgow Transport Museum, Zaha Hadid The new museum opened on Tuesday 21 June 2011. Steam engines Some of the items in the collection are; (not all may be on display) See also *Culture in Glasgow *Glasgow Corporation Tramways - history of trams in Glasgow *List of transport museums (worldwide) *Scottish Tramway and Transport Society *Summerlee Heritage Park * The Glasgow tractor - Built in Glasgow *Trolleybuses in Glasgow * Shows and Meets - list of steam and vehicle related events. * Clubs Listing * National Traction Engine Trust References Based on Wikipedia article with Steam section added * TER 2008 * Old Glory Magazine, Engines in Museums list 2009 External links *Glasgow Museums & Art Galleries *Glasgow Museum of Transport Category:Museums in Glasgow Category:Transport museums in Scotland Category:Steam museums in the United Kingdom